News Release

2010

RIVERSIDE – At today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit
called upon his colleagues to review the impact of California’s global warming legislation (AB 32)
on Riverside County’s economy and draft a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger requesting its repeal
and/or suspension. The Board decided to assess the impacts on Riverside County’s economy and
revisit the issue on February 9. Yesterday, the Mojave Desert Air Quality Management
District, which Supervisor Benoit now serves on, agreed to send a letter to the same effect.

“I have always been supportive of renewable energy technologies and strongly believe the
innovation by our own entrepreneurs will lead the way into new jobs and greater energy efficiency
standards,” said Fourth District Supervisor John J. Benoit. “However, the overwhelmingly
negative impact AB 32 already poses to our industries and our economic future will make us the
greenest Third World economy in the world. I hope my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors
will join the growing chorus in favor of suspending these regulations.”

In 2006, then-Assemblyman Benoit voted against AB 32, which tasked the Air Resources Board with
drafting regulations to cut California’s greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The
legislation presents the Governor the ability to invoke a safety valve and suspend the emissions
caps for up to one year in the case of an emergency or significant economic harm.

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Supervisor John J. Benoit represents the Fourth District on the Riverside County Board of
Supervisors. Stretching from the Palm Springs area south to the Salton Sea and east to the
Colorado River, it is the largest geographical district in the county.

Please note: Supervisor Benoit’s Office will be closed every Friday through June 30, 2010 per
order of the Board of Supervisors on 7/21/2009. Benoit’s regular office hours are Monday
through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.